Republicans Realize That Maybe a Scofflaw Rancher Isn't the Symbol They Should Be Rallying Around

Now that gun nuts are coming down from their highs, Republicans are quickly realizing Cliven Bundy might not be the election-year figurehead they've been looking for. Politico's David Nather says that even though Breitbart.com, certain talk show hosts, and Drudge are fired up about Bundy, actual Republicans who care about winning elections are running away from the issue as fast as they can:

Top Republican operatives said they haven’t really followed the Bundy story that much. Officials at the top Republican campaign organizations, the National Republican Senatorial Committee and the National Republican Congressional Committee, didn’t respond to requests for comment. Top lawmakers were silent.

And a spokesman for the Tea Party Patriots said there was no one available to talk about the rancher issue on Tuesday. They had other battles on their hands — including suing the IRS for documents on the scrutiny of nonprofit groups — but when the group is outraged enough to get involved in a big-government fight, you usually know it.

Even the teabaggers recognize this issue as toxic and unwinnable. There's no political gold on Bundy Ranch.